Probable Cause

by Theresa Schwegel

Ray Weiss is a third generation cop. All he's ever wanted is to follow in his father and grandfather's footsteps. But when he finds out what the senior officers in Chicago's District 20 have planned for his "initiation" into the brotherhood, he faces a difficult choice.

Ray's senior partner, Jack Fiore, asks him to rob a jewelry store. It's just a little fun--especially because they're set up to "discover" the crime. Besides, Fiore gets the jewelry, Ray gets to be one of the boys, and the storeowner collects insurance. Ray doesn't want to do it, but Fiore leaves him no alternative. . . .

When Ray breaks into the store, he finds a corpse instead of his promised reward. Is it coincidence, or payback for being a reluctant rookie? Detective Sloane Pearson is on the case, and if Ray doesn't help her find the killer, she might discover something even more the truth.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Procedural, Mystery Thriller, Crime

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Theresa Schwegel was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She is the author of four crime novels set in and around the Chicago area. Her debut, Officer Down, was published in 2005, and subsequently won the Edgar® Award for Best First Novel. In 2008, she received the 21st Century Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation in recognition for an emerging artist with ties to Chicago. Her fifth novel, The Good Boy, is a family epic that combines the hard-boiled grit of her acclaimed police thrillers with the intimate portrait of a young boy trying to follow his heart in an often heartless city. The book will be released November 5th this year.

Reviews

[Tamara Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot in Probable Cause was interesting enough to keep reading to see how it ended. It wouldn't be a favorite, though. In the current state of national affairs, a book about corrupt police officers isn't exactly heartwarming. I also objected to the amount of profanity. I know all the arguments about this being "real life", but I don't believe it has to be. The people I know are professional enough the profanity is the exception and not the rule. The main character seems conflicted. He wants to do the right thing, but when pressured finds himself unable to do so, although he pushes others to. The ending is a surprise (not). If you have nothing better to read, well, then... I picked this from the little free library, unfamiliar with the author. I will not be looking for more by her.

[Danai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad. I liked the parallels of the opening and ending. The plot was interesting enough, but the ending felt like a cop-out (pun intended). The action was good, but the characters felt a little bland. On the scale of mildly interesting to intriguing, it was definitely on the mild side.

[Syed Gilani · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

[AnnMarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really just had to finish it was not a favorite of mine

[Eric Jornod]

Nul

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3.0

Theresa Schwegel had an impressive debut with Officer Down, which won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. With the current trend in crime fiction of writing series, one might have expected her second book to continue where the first left off. However, Schwegel has chosen to take the stand-alone route. Although Probable Cause is a police procedural, it is not connected to the first book at all.

Officer Ray Weiss is a rookie cop in Chicago District 20 who is following in the footsteps of his father who is a lieutenant in that district. In order to be accepted onto the team, Weiss must undergo an initiation to test his mettle. His task is to break into a jewelry store and steal a ring for his partner's wife. Things rapidly go wrong from the start of the break-in; not only does he muck up the actual stealing of the ring, but he trips over the corpse of the jewelry store owner. It is easy enough for Ray and his comrades to cover up the robbery crime. Almost immediately, one of the owner's fellow Lithuanians is arrested for the murder. Ray is sure that the wrong man is in jail. How does he go about proving that to be true when his every move threatens to unveil the actions of his teammates during this and other initiations? Although he is working with a member of the force who believes that Ray is on the right track, he deliberately misinforms her in order to protect his fellow officers.

Probable Cause was a difficult book for me to like because my own code of ethics interfered with my ability to empathize with the protagonist. From the moment that the initiation was conceived, I found myself judging the officers involved. How tragic is it that the men and women who are sworn to uphold the law are committing crimes in order to be accepted by their brethren? Even when Weiss was trying to prove the accused did not commit the murder, he took the path of least resistance. It wasn't that he was passionate about seeing right done. Instead, he attempted to uncover the truth in a way that would not cause any hassle for his fellow officers. How can he tell the authorities that his best friend planted evidence? Or that he deliberately lied on the robbery report?

Shwegel does a good job of sketching out Weiss's moral dilemma, but the fact is that he does not have any morality to speak of. Although Ray faces significant danger as he proceeds with the investigation, possibly from his own co-workers, it never felt like he was motivated by the ultimate goal of finding truth and dispensing justice or that he would take a stand on the side of right instead of convenience. And that was the fatal flaw in the book for me.

[Rick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Schwegel’s third novel, Person of Interest, got a terrific review in The New York Times in December of last year. Her first novel won an Edgar Award for first novels. This is her second novel, a strongly plotted police procedural set in Chicago that was entertaining but not particularly remarkable. A third generation cop is having trouble fitting in with his colleagues and undertakes an initiation of sorts where to prove his loyalty he commits a robbery of a jewelry store. However, a body is present at the crime scene. A sharp detective, also hot, is hell-bent on solving the murder and Ray Weiss, the rookie, is helping to find the murderer so that his and his partner’s crime won’t get discovered. Weiss gets some harassment—dog shit dumped on his lawn in huge amounts, a shotgun blast blows out his windows—and it’s not clear who or why this is happening. He makes some indifferent progress in getting a date with the hot detective. But, like real life, not much materializes on the romantic front or simple and clear resolution on the crime front. The novel picks up pace as it races to its conclusion but doesn’t deliver lots of satisfaction. For example, 200 pages after you suspect the partner and maybe 100 after you know it’s the partner, it’s revealed that it’s the partner. I may try her first novel or wait until the third one comes out in paperback or just wait for a new Alan Furst or Walter Mosley. Probable Cause was not great evidence in support of her reputation.

[Shiela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Schwegel's first book won an award and her third book received high accolades from the New York Times. This is the second book she has written and the first book that I have read of hers and I wasn't too impressed. It was kind of boring and all over the place and I had higher hopes especially since the book is about crooked cops.

I will read "Last Known Address" though, it is the next one in the loosely related series. Hopefully, it will be better.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non-series thriller. A well written but dark look at the police.

Police Thriller - Dark look at Ray Weiss, a Chicago cop who would like to do the right thing but is caught in illegal activity by his partner and other cops. After arresting a man for a murder Weiss knows he didn't commit, Ray helps detective Sloane Pearson look for the killer. He feels peer pressure to stop investigating and even wonders if helping Sloane is just to get a date with her.

[Cat. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a Christmas gift, signed by the author. I read about 20 pages and donated it to the library.

I'm not fond of books about crooked cops, even if it turns out that they are just cops who are fond of high-jinks. Pass.

[Roman Gokhman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not great, but a good read. What makes this story different is the protaganist cop is not a know-it-all, but rather a rookie who does not have the skills to piece the puzzle together until it is spelled out for him at the very end.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy sophomore effort following "Officer Down." This one is a real page-turner.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery with lots of twists and turns and relatable characters. So many twists and characters that I had trouble keeping it all straight at times.

[Andrew Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok without being extraordinary. Character choices are slightly unbelievable.

[Tinae Goodell, Lowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this book, lots of language some was interesting but just not that catchy for me to finish.